The Menu
Roasted Chicken Sicilian Style (Arrosto di Pollo Alla Siciliana)
Russian Salad
crusty bread
Honey, Olive Oil, and Plum Cake (Torta di Miele, Olio d'Oliva e Susine)
The Recipes
Roasted Chicken Sicilian Style
(Arrosto di Pollo Alla Siciliana)
Serves 6 to 8.
http://www.cookiesfromitaly.com/recipes/roasted_chicken_sicilian_style.htm
For the Dressing:
1 large garlic clove, pressed
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Chicken:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Two 3 and 1/2 to 4-pound free-range chickens
Grilled lemons, baby artichokes, and eggplant
Prepare the Dressing:
Mash garlic and 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt in mortar with pestle or in small bowl with back of spoon until paste forms.
Whisk in lemon juice, then olive oil.
Prepare the Chicken:
Whisk lemon juice, parsley, olive oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl.
Place 1 whole chicken in each of 2 resealable plastic bags. Divide the lemon marinade between bags. Seal bags, releasing excess air. Turn to coat chicken with marinade. Chill chicken at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, turning bag occasionally.
Prepare barbecue at medium heat (If using 2-burner gas grill, light 1 burner. If using 3-burner gas grill, do not light center burner. If using charcoal grill, light briquettes in chimney and pour onto 1 side of lower grill rack).
Remove chickens from marinade. Discard marinade. Sprinkle chickens inside and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together. Place chickens, breast side down, over unlit side of grill.
Cover and grill chickens 45 minutes, adjusting gas levels if using gas grill or adjusting vents and adding more charcoal as needed if using charcoal grill to maintain barbecue temperature between 350ºF and 400ºF.
Turn chickens breast side up.
Cover and grill until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165ºF, continuing to maintain barbecue temperature between 350ºF and 400ºF, about 35 minutes longer.
Transfer chickens to work surface; let rest 10 minutes. Carve chickens and transfer to platter.
Arrange grilled lemons, baby artichokes, and eggplant around chickens. Spoon some of dressing over chicken and vegetables. Garnish with grilled lemons for squeezing over.
Serve with crusty bread.
Russian Salad
Serves 4
http://www.ciaoitalia.com/cat egories/salads
8 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally 1/2-inch thick and 1-inch long 2 large Red Skin or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
4 medium size carrots, scraped and diced
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
4 hard boiled eggs, 2 cut into small pieces and 2 into quarters
1/4 cup minced parsley
4 sweet cucumber pickles, diced
1/2 cup diced green or black olives (Cerignola or small Gaeta)
2 tablespoons capers in salt, well rinsed and drained
1 cup low fat mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the potatoes in the microwave on high power until a knife easily pierces them. Cool, peel and dice. Place the potatoes in a bowl.
Add the carrots to the potatoes along with the peas, eggs, parsley, cucumbers, olives and capers. Gently fold in the mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste.
Line a quart glass bowl with plastic wrap leaving an overhang. Fill the bowl with the salad, pressing it firmly. Cover the top of the bowl with the overlapped plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, unwrap the salad and invert it onto a round platter.
Decorate the top with egg slices and a dollop of mayonnaise.
Honey, Olive Oil, and Plum Cake
(Torta di Miele, Olio d'Oliva e Susine)
Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 8.
htt p://www.cookiesfromitaly.com/recipes/honey_olive_oil_plum_cake.htm
Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup honey, preferably orange blossom honey
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk
8 prune plums, halved and pitted
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and butter the parchment.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Whisk in the honey until thoroughly combined and then whisk in the olive oil and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the milk, then 1/3 of the flour mixture, then the remaining � of the milk, and then the remaining 1/3 of the flour mixture, whisking for only a few seconds after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix.
Transfer to the cake pan and arrange the plums cut side down over the batter.
Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cake start to shrink away from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
Run a paring knife around the inside of the cake pan, invert onto a cooling rack, and finish cooling completely.
Cut into portions and serve.
Roasted Chicken Sicilian Style (Arrosto di Pollo Alla Siciliana)
Russian Salad
crusty bread
Honey, Olive Oil, and Plum Cake (Torta di Miele, Olio d'Oliva e Susine)
The Recipes
Roasted Chicken Sicilian Style
(Arrosto di Pollo Alla Siciliana)
Serves 6 to 8.
http://www.cookiesfromitaly.com/recipes/roasted_chicken_sicilian_style.htm
For the Dressing:
1 large garlic clove, pressed
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Chicken:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Two 3 and 1/2 to 4-pound free-range chickens
Grilled lemons, baby artichokes, and eggplant
Prepare the Dressing:
Mash garlic and 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt in mortar with pestle or in small bowl with back of spoon until paste forms.
Whisk in lemon juice, then olive oil.
Prepare the Chicken:
Whisk lemon juice, parsley, olive oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl.
Place 1 whole chicken in each of 2 resealable plastic bags. Divide the lemon marinade between bags. Seal bags, releasing excess air. Turn to coat chicken with marinade. Chill chicken at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, turning bag occasionally.
Prepare barbecue at medium heat (If using 2-burner gas grill, light 1 burner. If using 3-burner gas grill, do not light center burner. If using charcoal grill, light briquettes in chimney and pour onto 1 side of lower grill rack).
Remove chickens from marinade. Discard marinade. Sprinkle chickens inside and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together. Place chickens, breast side down, over unlit side of grill.
Cover and grill chickens 45 minutes, adjusting gas levels if using gas grill or adjusting vents and adding more charcoal as needed if using charcoal grill to maintain barbecue temperature between 350ºF and 400ºF.
Turn chickens breast side up.
Cover and grill until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165ºF, continuing to maintain barbecue temperature between 350ºF and 400ºF, about 35 minutes longer.
Transfer chickens to work surface; let rest 10 minutes. Carve chickens and transfer to platter.
Arrange grilled lemons, baby artichokes, and eggplant around chickens. Spoon some of dressing over chicken and vegetables. Garnish with grilled lemons for squeezing over.
Serve with crusty bread.
Russian Salad
Serves 4
http://www.ciaoitalia.com/cat egories/salads
8 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally 1/2-inch thick and 1-inch long 2 large Red Skin or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
4 medium size carrots, scraped and diced
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
4 hard boiled eggs, 2 cut into small pieces and 2 into quarters
1/4 cup minced parsley
4 sweet cucumber pickles, diced
1/2 cup diced green or black olives (Cerignola or small Gaeta)
2 tablespoons capers in salt, well rinsed and drained
1 cup low fat mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the potatoes in the microwave on high power until a knife easily pierces them. Cool, peel and dice. Place the potatoes in a bowl.
Add the carrots to the potatoes along with the peas, eggs, parsley, cucumbers, olives and capers. Gently fold in the mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste.
Line a quart glass bowl with plastic wrap leaving an overhang. Fill the bowl with the salad, pressing it firmly. Cover the top of the bowl with the overlapped plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, unwrap the salad and invert it onto a round platter.
Decorate the top with egg slices and a dollop of mayonnaise.
Honey, Olive Oil, and Plum Cake
(Torta di Miele, Olio d'Oliva e Susine)
Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 8.
htt p://www.cookiesfromitaly.com/recipes/honey_olive_oil_plum_cake.htm
Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup honey, preferably orange blossom honey
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk
8 prune plums, halved and pitted
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and butter the parchment.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Whisk in the honey until thoroughly combined and then whisk in the olive oil and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the milk, then 1/3 of the flour mixture, then the remaining � of the milk, and then the remaining 1/3 of the flour mixture, whisking for only a few seconds after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix.
Transfer to the cake pan and arrange the plums cut side down over the batter.
Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cake start to shrink away from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
Run a paring knife around the inside of the cake pan, invert onto a cooling rack, and finish cooling completely.
Cut into portions and serve.
